The fall of the Knight
by Jermaine94
Summary: The telling of the fight between Raime and Velstadt, and his calling to his new post in the East - ONESHOT


DARK SOULS PROJECT

RAIME: FALL OF THE KNIGHT (ONE SHOT)

CLASSIFICATION: M (JUST TO BE SAFE) – ADULT THEMES, COARSE LANGUAGE

GENRE: DRAMA, HURT/TRAGEDY, ACTION

 **THE FALL OF THE KNIGHT**

His whole world crumbled around him. He screamed for reason. He could hear Velstadt call him a 'traitor' and a 'rebel'. He lifted his blade and parried Velstadts hammer from crushing his skull. Letting it slide off to the side, he swung horizontally in an attempt to gut his former best friend. The sound of clashing metal rung through the halls of Drangleic Castle. He lost his shield many nights ago, when the King first abdicated and Raime showed his displeasure. Leaping aside to avoid another hammer blow, he leaped forward to stab Velstadt through the gut, but the man was agile, and avoided the. His black armour barely weighed anything to him, having spent months upon months in it. The raven crest splattered with blood. Velstadts armour was no different, with splatters of Raimes blood clearly visible. The two separated and stood across from each other. Raime staring at Velstadt, demanding answers with his eyes alone. Velstadt stood without any answers to give. Ever loyal to his King, Velstadt would never stand aside, and let Raime have his way.

"Move! FOR FUCKS SAKE VELSTADT MOVE!" Raime screamed out to his friend, who stood barring his way. "You know I can't Raime! Stand down and end this farce! Did you not swear loyalty to your King?" Velstadt held out his hand and pleaded. Raime threw his own hand up in anger. "He stopped being my King the day he threw away the Crown! Why won't you let me ask why!" Velstadt let out a sad sigh. He shifted his stance slightly, hoping Raime wouldn't notice, but he knew that Raime of all people would notice. They were best friends for crying out loud!

Raime noticed as Velstadt shifted his foot back slightly, and shifted his own stance accordingly. He brought his sword up and held it in front of him. The metal reflecting the flames of the torches. His eyes scanning Velstadt for any more subtle shifts. He noticed when Velstadt regripped his hammer slightly lower and prepared to block a swing to his head. Now he had to wait. And it turns out he didn't have to wait long. Velstadt spun, bringing his hammer around him in a wide arc, the chime one top reverberating in the corridor. He smirked as Velstadts eyes widened when he blocked the wild swing, and dashed forward, preparing to slice him from shoulder to hip. He felt pain all of a sudden. He stopped moving. Blood started to fall from his mouth. He looked down and saw the end of Velstadts hammer had pierced his armour and ran through the stomach. He looked up in shock. Velstadt had despair written on his face as clear as day. But Raime wouldn't let it end there. He held out his left hand, flames bursting forth.

"What are you doing! RAIME!" The flames threw Velstadt back into the wall, causing him to rip his hammer end out of Raimes stomach. Once his vision cleared, he faced Raime once again, only to see a large greatsword resting in Raimes left hand, and his normal sword in his right. "I won't let it end here Velstadt! I can't! Not without knowing WHY!" He had to quickly roll to the side to avoid that ominous looking greatsword, and let out a small gasp of shock when it cracked the ground when it hit. "RAIME! What have you done!" Raime turned and swung, greatsword barely missing Velstadt as it flew through the air. "I did what I needed to do!" Raime leaped forward and brought the greatsword down again, Velstadt collecting it on the pole of his hammer, sighing in relief as it held strong against this new power.

Raime struggled to control the Old Chaos. It threatened to consume him. He wouldn't let it. He needed to win and in order to do so, he needed to force this power to obey him. He let out a scream as the flames ran up his arm, momentarily giving Velstadt an opening. Which was taken advantage of. Velstadt swung his hammer down, collecting Raime on the shoulder, forcing him to his knees. Not letting up, Velstadt swung in anger at his friends stupid decision. "We fought together!" _Smack!_ "We ate together!" _Smack!_ "We trained together!" _Smack!_ "So why Raime?! WHY?!" By this point, Raime had lost control of the Old Chaos, and the greatsword vanished. Without a way to win, Raime dropped to his knees, beaten and broken, blood flowing from open wounds, breathing heavily from obviously broken ribs.

Struggling to stand, Raime stabbed his sword into the ground, pushing himself to his feet. Blood dripped from the gap in his helmet. His knees almost buckled and gave out but he held firm. Standing on shaky feet, he stared at Velstadt with dead eyes. He raised his sword, but Velstadt was faster. Velstadt rushed forward and, using his hammer, knocked the sword out of Raimes hands, then sent him flying back into the wall. Raime coughed up blood from the impact, keeling over and holding his chest at pain tore through him. The raven crest on his chest was now dinted and malformed, causing him pain whenever he breathed. He could feel his bones grind against each other. Gritting his teeth, he leaped forward, pushing off the wall and reached out for Velstadt, hoping to take his hammer from him.

A lone tear escaped Velstadts eye when Raime burst forth, hand extended in hopes to separate him from his hammer. With a quick sidestep and swing, the sound of Raimes arm breaking in two and his scream of pain echoed through the room, Velstadt biting back his own anguish at causing his friend so much pain. He had no choice. With Raime now on his knees again, holding the broken form of his right arm and cradling it to his chest, Velstadt brought his hammer up and swung, aiming it at Raimes back. To his surprise, and mild relief, Raime managed to dodge, only just, and his right shoulder was clipped, and he went sprawling on the floor.

 _FUCK! It hurts so much! Why can't I win!_ Raime let his arm drop as he pushed himself up, mustering what little strength he had left. The sound of footsteps and that blasted chime made him look up. Velstadt was slowly approaching him, but what surprised him was that he was carrying Raimes sword in his left hand. Velstadt stood above him, eyes hidden by his helm, and he watched as he stabbed his sword into the ground in front of him. "I will not kill you while you writhe on the floor like a defenceless animal. Take it, and face your death with honour!" He took the hilt into his hand, using it to pull himself to his feet. His feet shaky, he took tentative steps towards Velstadt.

He watched him move forward, dragging his blade on the floor. The strength to raise the weapon now long gone. Velstadt just stood there, his golden armour dinted and bloodied, and Raimes wasn't any better. Raime forced a half-hearted swing, but there was no force behind the blade, and it just landed on Velstadts armour, and stopped dead. Raime let his head hang, blood coming from the gaps, and making a small puddle on the floor. By this point, any bystanders, and unknown to them, there was one, knew that the fight was decided. "Why? Why can't I win?" Velstadt didn't speak, he was afraid that his voice would break, the pain in his heart now threatened to overtake him. He watched as Raimes sword slipped from his grasp and clattered to the floor. He lifted his hammer and brought it down on the blade, snapping it in two. Finally mustering the courage to speak, he directed his words at his brother. "You couldn't win because you were blinded by your rage and anger. It dulled your senses and blunted your blade." There was no reply. "Your sword, now broken, shall be taken as a trophy. You will be stripped of your Knighthood, and you will be imprisoned in the Bastille." Yet again there was no reply. "Raime? Do you understand the implications of your actions today?" He cocked his head to the side, and when he realised why there was nothing coming from him, his eyes widened, and his voice once again threatened to break, his heart torn to pieces. Raime had died standing.

"He is dead, Sir Velstadt." Velstadt spun, lifting his hammer into a defensive stance in front of his fallen brother. He saw a figure standing in the shadows, not once realising that they had spectators to their fight. His eyes adjusted to the dark, and widened once he realised who was watching. Nashandra, Queen of Drangleic, glided out of the shadows, her eyes filled with tears, the pain etched onto her graceful features. Her beauty marred by despair. She had been saved by both Raime and Velstadt when the King had stormed her castle and taken her as his bride. The common soldiers, against the very notion of marrying the enemy openly committed treason, but Raime and Velstadt had come to her aid, placating the army and turning them to acceptance. "He has died standing, not falling as a common foe, his honour not binding him to that level." Velstadt turned to face his brother, tears now falling freely. "How? How could I have done this? How would I ever explain to his family that I killed him."

Raimes soul drifted between the divide. Slowly being pulled to oblivion, but holding on with a sliver of hope. He could hear voices. He could hear Velstadts voice breaking, and the voice of his Queen. _Lady…Nashandra? Why is she here?_ He knew he was dying. He could feel the pull. He could feel it. _Ah…so this is Oblivion? This is what comes next?_ He turned towards the light, not realising that his actions were mirrored on his corpse. His head turned, staring at nothing. Velstadts head shot up, a sliver of hope that Raime could still be saved. His hand extended forward, reaching out to nothing. _**Do you want to live, Raime?**_ The voice cut through his silence as easy as a blade through flesh. His body went rigid, hand extended, eyes empty. _**I can save you, come to me.**_ _Who are you?_ _ **I am but a fragment, I need you Raime, come to me.**_ Images of a tower flashed through the darkness, flames bursting forth, consuming all in its path. Chaos. As quickly as they came they vanished. He felt alive. His vision cleared, the darkness no longer creeping forth.

"Raime?" Velstadt reached forward, hand going for Raimes shoulder. But the sudden flames that burst forth and scorched the ground forced him to pull back, spin, and pull the Queen towards his chest. "LADY NASHANDRA! Forgive me for my actions!" She curled up into him, knowing that she would be protected there, the intensity of the flames singeing her dress. Her eyes wide, she peeked towards Raime, letting out a gasp as he bent down and picked up his broken sword. She knew these flames. _Nadalia, have you come for my Knight?_ The flames disappeared as quickly as they appeared. Raime stood, his armour melted and twisted, his eyes empty and devoid of life. He turned towards Velstadt. "Farewell, brother. This is the last time we shall see each other. I shall repay you for taking my life by taking yours, but not today." He raced out of the chamber, armour clanking and grinding as he darted through the corridors. Cyan Knights attempted to block his path, but he cut through them easily. He knew his destination, he knew how to get there, and nothing would stop him. "I'm coming, my Bride, wait for me." Another Cyan fell to his shortened blade. The doors were in his sight. He was almost free. His battle-hardened instincts screamed at him to dodge. He snapped his head to the left, a rocky fist barely scraping his helm. He swung his sword, removing the offending limb from the Golem that now barred his path. Darting around it as it regained its composure, he sprinted out the doors of the castle, not even looking back. His life now belonged to another. The one who saved his life.

Velstadt watched him go, not even attempting to stop him. He knew he couldn't catch him, he was suddenly faster than he ever was. He let go of Nashandra, and she stood at her full height, dusting off her burnt dress, and flicking her hair, some loose strands being pushed behind her ear. "He has left the castle. And he is headed East." Velstadt looked at her quizzically. "How do you know?" She let out a sigh, before facing him. "Those flames, they weren't the Chaos Flames he used against you, they were Flames belonging to my sister, Nadalia, the Bride of Ash." Velstadt turned to the East, his eyes downcast. "Raime is dead. I killed him. That was not him." He straightened himself, wincing when his armour rubbed against his wounds and burns. "Go to a healer Ser Velstadt, for you will be needed here to guard His Majesty. And do not go after him, as you said, Raime is dead. That was Nadalias favourite Knight. Over the years, she had called the Fume Knights. And now that Raime is in her service, he cannot be saved. Leave him be, he will meet his end in due time." With these parting words, she glided out of the ruined chamber, back towards the throne, leaving Velstadt to wallow in his pain, knowing that he loved Raime as family. Velstadt noticed a glint in the corner of his eye, and moved towards it. The broken tip of Raimes sword lay on the ground. Picking it up, he studied it carefully. Letting out a sad sigh, he pocketed the blade and left the ruined chamber, calling for builders to repair it immediately. Giving the room one final look, he left.

TIMESKIP – Bearer of the Curse

The sound of crunching as underneath his boots filled his ears. He pushed forward through the white wall, the sound of the passing fog covering the sound of ash. Once through, his eyes came to rest upon a large greatsword sticking into the ash. The sound of his allies passing through the fog caused him to spin, sighing in relief as the Lucatiel and Felicia came through the fog. Once they were all set to challenge the boss, they walked towards the sword. Lucatiels words cut through the silence. "Careful Bearer, it is said that here lies Raime, the Fume Knight." Felicia stuttered when she heard. "R-R-RAIME!? THE Raime?! The other hand of Vendrick?" Luca let out an exasperated sigh. "Yes Fel, THE Raime, the Crow Knight." The Bearer let out a sharp hiss. "Quiet! He may not know we have arrived. Let's attempt to sneak past and grab the Soul Fragment." He got a nod from both of his companions along with a 'sorry'. They stalked through the cavern, watching the sword intently. The managed to cross half-way when flames started to converge around it, and a tall imposing figure rose from the Ash, with a long straight sword in his left hand. They watched as he grasped the greatsword with his right hand, and effortlessly pull it from the ground, and gave a few practice swings. He turned towards the three intruders, his eyes masked by darkness. "Ah, I see." His voice came out coarse and sounded layered, causing the three to ready themselves. His black armour twisted and melted, the Crow on the front now heavily disfigured, but the armour itself didn't seem to hinder him any, and he prepared for a fight.

A strange sensation filled his heart. Warmth. He let his eyes wander, watching the three. But his eyes fell towards the male of the group. "You, young man." The Bearer stepped forward slightly, ignoring the warnings from his companions. "Yes?" Raime stepped forward, matching his pace with the Bearer. "You have his soul, don't you?" The Bearer cocked his head to the side, not really understanding the words he spoke. "His soul? Of whom do you speak Ancient Knight?" He saw Raime lower his swords slightly, thinking he could placate him and get through this peacefully, and his companions seemed to share the thought, lowering their own blades, and in Lucatiels case, sheathing her sword entirely. "DO NOT LOWER YOUR GUARD KNIGHTESS!" Raimes shout reverberated through the cavern, making Lucatiel flinch and take a step back, hand instantly flying to the hilt of her greatsword. Raime turned his attention back the male, and took a threatening step forward, lifting the straight sword slightly, and pointing its tip straight at him. "You have his soul, do you not? You have Velstadts soul, RIGHT?!" In a flash, Raime was in front of the Bearer, tip of the straight sword poking into his armour, but not deep enough to cause damage. All in all, it was terrifying, but the Bearer did not flinch or falter. He reached around into his pack and pulled out a corrupted Lord Soul, the soul of Velstadt.

He watched as the young Knight reached around and pulled something out. His eyes widening in shock as he produced a soul. _Velstadt, so you have fallen brother. If this young man defeated you, then I will join you soon._ He retracted his sword from the young knights' armour, leaving a small hole where his sword pierced through. "I see. That is his soul. He fell to the dark of that place. Tell me young Knight, was it a worthy fight?" The Bearer took a deep breath. He was humbled to be speaking to such an Ancient Knight, not even Velstadt gave him this, but he was too far gone in the Dark. "Yes, oh Ancient Knight. It was a glorious fight, one that I shall never forget." He saw Raime nod his head slightly. "I acknowledge your strength then. Come, fight me alone, I will not accept any assistance from your companions." Luca and Felicia let out short gasps of worry. "Bearer do not be foolish!" "Don't do this! It is madness!" He turned to them, and gave them a small smile. "I will not dishonour him, he has challenged me, and I will not turn him down. Stay there, watch, and pray to whatever God you believe in." He turned back to Raime. "Let us begin." The two lunged, and engaged in a fight for the ages.

Luca and Felicia watched as the Bearer fought for his life, taking swigs of Estus when he needed. They watched intently, resisting the urge to join the fight. To say this fight would be easy was completely wrong. They both realised that even if they joined in the fight, they would die almost immediately, and it humbled them greatly. The closed their eyes, but a shout of pain made them open them. Raime had discarded his straight sword and opted to swing his greatsword two handed. Each swing causing the ash to rise into the air. The saw the flames that coated the blade, and looked at each other nervously. They knew Chaos Flames anywhere.

 _Watch, I can dodge! I can win!_ The Bearer rolled underneath a wide swing, bringing his own sword forward and digging it into Raimes armour. He pulled back, and to his surprise, a smile etched it way onto his face. _This is a fight! I haven't felt this alive since the fight against the Dragonrider!_ He twisted, dodging a jab, but he felt it bite into his armour. _I would be LONG dead if I didn't have this armour._ Another swing and another miss. He spun, bringing his shield up and parrying a weak swing, knowing that this was the end. He had worn Raime down, the fight lasting a lot longer than both had predicted. He darted forward, letting out a shout as he pushed his sword through Raimes chest, feeling the slight resistance as his blade surged forward. Raime let out a short laugh, dropping to his knees, letting his greatsword drop to the ground beside him. "It is done. You indeed were a worthy opponent. At long last, I have reclaimed my honour and died in battle. Thank you, young Knight. Claim your prize." His words turned out to be his last, letting himself fade into nothing.

"Hello Raime." He spun, eyes searching, heart racing. "Velstadt? Is that you?" He heard a soft chuckle, before a hand slapped him on the back, nearly knocking him over. He turned his head, and was met by the visage of Velstadt, his golden armour practically shining. "Geeze, stop being a bloody torch you wanker." Laughter boomed through the divide. "I missed you brother." Raime extended his hand, and was silently happy when Velstadt grasped it eagerly. The looked at each other, before letting laughter claim them. After a short bout of happiness, the scene turned grim. "Who killed you Raime? Better not have been old age." Raime let out a snort, before headbutting Velstadt. "FUCK! Asshole! What was that for!?" "For getting yourself killed before I could kill you!" The stared at each other, and proceeded to engage in a quick fist fight. They stopped when they realised that they were both fading away. They looked at each other sadly. "I was killed by a young Knight, the same Knight who claimed to kill you." Velstadt let a smile tug at his lips. "Of course, he was real good. Quick on his feet and determined to win at all costs." Raime crossed his arms. "Who was he anyway? I didn't get his name." Velstadt lowered his head before looking up at the emptiness of the divide. "He doesn't have a name. Did you see his companions?"  
"You mean those two women he had following him?"  
"Yes, those two. They are Cursed Undead, in the process of going Hollow. They call him the Bearer of the Curse."  
"You're kidding, right? THE Bearer?" Velstadt let out another laugh. "Yeah, he's gonna go a long way, that young man." Silence followed that sentence. Neither willing to say anything. "Well, at least I feel better about losing now." Raime let a short laugh, before turning to his friend. "It was good seeing you again brother. May we meet again!"  
"Wait! Raime!" Velstadt reached out, but they both faded away, letting the divide end their journey.

Thus, concludes the story of Raime and Velstadt, two Knights, two friends, separated by betrayal and re-united by death. Waiting to reborn into a new world, one devoid of the Dark, both lending the Bearer of the Curse their strength to assure him the power he needs to usher in a new age.

 _Phew…that took a while to write out! Well…read and review please! Any criticism welcome! May re-write if people point out any issues with the Lore relating to the story. If you do find any issues, PM me and I'll get around to fixing it. Jermaine signing out!_


End file.
